"So, what are you thinking about?" Cruz asked as we headed toward the elevator.My head snapped up. "Why?"Cruz shrugged. "I just noticed how quiet you were all of a sudden."I chuckled. "I'm usually quiet.""Yeah right." He rolled his eyes. "You, my dear, are not quiet."I scoffed, laughing. "Thanks a lot!""Hey, the truth hurts. But don't change the subject," he teased, giving me a sly smile. "What were you thinking about just then?""I was thinking that Deven probably wouldn't see the light of day." We walked into the elevator, and the doors closed. "But we can't let him go back to Nightshade and tell them everything that he learned either.""Now you're getting it," Cruz replied, smiling."Getting what?"He shrugged. "This is how it is in our world. Loyalty is probably the most important virtue that we hold dear. If you betray the pack, then it's certain death."I nodded. "Well, he was old enough to know better."Cruz nodded. "Yes, he is.""And we can't trust him, either."Cruz shoo
"Wait." I stood and walked toward Xander, keeping the sheet wrapped around me. "Deven was my first customer yesterday morning."Xander turned to face me, his eyes filled with concern. "Yes. Why?"I let out a deep breath. "Well, I think it's pretty suspicious. Last night, he told me that he had a friend break his arm so he could have an in at the clinic, knowing that I was human and new to the Compound. But I didn't even know I was opening the clinic yesterday until the night before.""Which means, that we have a mole," Elias finished, buttoning up his jeans. "Either that, or there was more than one that infiltrated the Compound," I replied. Xander shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Deven wasn't at the Compound until yesterday morning. No, someone had to have been telling him when to come, where to go, and what to do." Xander placed his hands on my shoulders and kissed the topo of my head. "Go ahead and shower and I'll meet you both downstairs.""I'll shower in a little while," El
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Bailey asked as I locked the door of the Clinic later that evening. I nodded, giving her a small smile. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to go straight up to my suite," I lied. I had been worried about Cruz all day and wanted to check on him to make sure he was okay.Had I told Bailey the truth, there would be no way that she'd let me go alone. Either that or she would go straight to Xander and Elias. Not that I wanted to hide anything from Xander and Elias, but I just wanted to check on him myself. After all, he had brought me into this supernatural world and had introduced me to my Mates. But more importantly, he had been a good friend."Oh-kay," Bailey said, dragging out the word. "If you're sure, I'll see you tomorrow then. I have a hot date tonight."I laughed. "No problem. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate you cleaning up the Clinic for me today."A broad smile spread across her face. "There was still a lot to do when you got here, b
"What was that all about?" I flailed my arm in the direction that Eve had gone. "Why is it my fault?"Cruz let out a deep breath, shaking his head. "I have no idea. She just needed someone to blame, and it happened to be you.""Nope. I'm not buying it. Is Nightshade looking for me for some reason?" After all, the note pinned to River said, "You're next". At the time, I had thought it had meant the pack. But could it have meant me?Cruz motioned with his head toward the elevator. "Come on. I'll walk you back to your suite."I shook my head. "No. I'll be fine. But tell me, Cruz. Was Nightshade looking for me and found River instead?"He scoffed, stopping in the center of the hallway. "Kalyssa, why would they be looking for you?" He started toward the elevator again. "The note didn't say it was you. It meant the pack.""Are you sure?" I asked, pulling him to a stop. "Eve said that it was my fault! Could Nightshade have been looking for me?"Cruz placed his fingers on his forehead, as if t
"Xander, slow down!" I said, trying to catch up. "Take a minute to calm down before you confront Sasha. She probably has a good reason for not telling you everything.""What?" Xander asked, stopping so abruptly that I nearly ran into him. "Kalyssa, what could she possibly say that would justify her not telling us the complete truth?""I have no idea!" I replied, placing a hand on my forehead. "But you need to calm down before you do something that you'll regret.""Like what?"I narrowed my eyes. "Like tearing her head off, for starters."He let out a deep breath, turning away, taking a moment to calm down. "Kalyssa, I need to talk to her, and find out why she lied to us. Trust is a virtue that we value. If someone betrays that trust, they'd better have a d*mned good reason." The elevator door opened, and he put his arm out, holding it open for me. "Shall we?"I nodded once and then walked inside. "Where's Elias?""He's going to meet us at Sasha's suite," he replied, hitting the button
"Come here." Xander pulled me in for a hug, holding me tightly to his chest. "I'm so sorry for losing it like that earlier." He pulled back and looked deeply into my eyes. "Will you ever forgive me?"Elias's head snapped up, narrowing his eyes, but Xander shook his head, silently telling him that he would tell him later. "Yes, of course," I replied. "But from here on out, try not to lose your temper with me. I'm on your side. Remember?"He nodded. "We'll talk later, but will you be okay?"I nodded. "Yes. You two go. I'll be just fine. Daphne will be here in just a minute."I gave Xander and Elias one last hug and saw them out, hoping we could get to the bottom of this before anyone else was killed. If someone wanted me dead, I wanted to know who they were and why.As Xander and Elias were walking out, Daphne walked up, carrying a leather briefcase. "Alphas," she said, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you for coming on such short notice," Elias said. "Please, take good care of our gir
I was about to run for the glass when I heard a voice behind me. "Kalyssa, no!" Elias shouted. "You'll hurt yourself! Let us help you!" I paced back and forth, a caged animal needing to be free. "Open the door, so she doesn't hurt herself!" Xander yelled, bursting into my suite. I looked over at him, and he gave me a knowing look as Daphne ran in behind him. "She changed during the reading!" she yelled, but everyone ignored her. A low growl erupted from deep within my chest as I paced in my suite.Elias stood in front of me and looked into my eyes. "Kalyssa, it's okay. You're one of us.""No!" I ran for the glass, but Elias flung it open just in time, and I leaped through the door and propelled myself off the balcony. I landed on four white paws on the soft green grass, and then ran. I had no idea where I was going or what I was running to, but I had to get out, to escape the horrors. I was a wolf, and my mother and grandmother had died to save my life, and probably my father, to
When we got back to the Compound, everything had changed, but nothing had. Then I realized that what had changed… was me.Suddenly, my sense of smell was more acute, and nothing escaped my notice. I saw details that I had never paid attention to in the past. Heard the rustle of tiny animals in the brush under the leaves. Everything was new and I felt alive for the first time in my life.Until now, I was merely a dreamer in a dream. Now, I was awake.When we neared the Compound, Elias headed toward one of the outbuildings. It was small in comparison, resembling a cabin. But when we walked through the enormous double doors, it was one big room."What is this place?" I asked, pacing back and forth along the wooden planks of the floor, looking through the enormous plate-glass windows."This is a cabin for new wolves," Elias said mentally, "a place they can wait until they gain control and can morph back into their human form.""So, it's a cage," I said in the Pack Mind."No, not at all," X